


funny you should ask

by karvallian



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fanfiction, Fluff, Future Fic, Gay, M/M, Rich's brother also appears, i think??, oooo this is gonna be spicy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-14 13:04:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11208645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karvallian/pseuds/karvallian
Summary: Jeremy and Michael thought they could live without each other during college, but they were very wrong. That is probably why they are risking everything just to get their lives back to how they were when they played video games every afternoon in Michael's basement.





	1. crocs and a broken duck umbrella ( michael's song )

**Author's Note:**

> i really wanna write this all in like, no capitalization but noOOOOOO THATS NOT PROPER WRITING. anyway this is my first contribution and the first time ive published a real, multi chapter fanfiction since fire emblem birthright. so yeah. enjoy? i hope its not too confusing. some notes at the end might explain shit.

Jeremy laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling with a small frown on his face.

This wasn't right, the boy thought to himself, glancing at the clock on his end table that told him he should've been asleep hours ago. He sat up and looked around the dark room, hearing a slow song play faintly from the next room where his roommate tapped away on his keyboard, finishing an assignment. Subconsciously, Jeremy began tapping his fingers along to the song, and for a moment he wondered why it sounded so familiar before he heard the chorus and jumped off his bed, grabbing his phone and rushing out of his bedroom. On his way out, he stopped in the living room and shouted a quick goodbye down the hallway to his roommate before putting on the closest pair of shoes and taking an umbrella after sneaking a glance at the window, seeing that it was pouring outside. Even if the closest shoes were crocs, that didn't matter, he had to leave. It was winter break, just before his second semester at college, and though it was three in the morning, he was running out of his dorm building and across campus with crocs and socks on and a duck umbrella over his head. Not the strangest thing that had happened so far that year, for sure.

Back in June, Jeremy remembers the day that he and Michael realized they weren't going to the same college. Michael had been accepted into this really nice college further south in the state, where he would get a semi-decent scholarship for his major. Though they would both still be in New Jersey, they wouldn't be within reach of each other at a moments notice, and Jeremy hadn't seen Michael since October when Jake held an annual Halloween party at Rich and his apartment. Michael was extremely busy, with all the work he had piled onto him on top of working way too many hours for the much-needed cash. They always talked about how they would have the time of their lives in college, but now that they've both made it, Jeremy realized that perhaps the last semester was so empty and lonely because, even with the face-times and calls to his high school friends, he didn't have Michael by his side anymore.

So that was how Jeremy ended up soaking wet, with a broken umbrella that had nearly blown away, in a taxi going to Michael's college. He was glad he had some money left in his PayPal account and that the driver accepted online payments, or else he would be completely broke. It was a long drive, and it would cost a lot, but about halfway through, Jeremy was pulled out of his mind by something the driver said.

"Where on earth could you be going at three at night, bro?" Jeremy turned and got a good look at the driver for the first time since he got in. He continued talking, "I mean, I'm not judging or anything, not really my place to, but I was just wondering. You from here?"

"Yeah," Jeremy told him the name of his college, and how he was going to visit a friend who attended the college he told the driver to go to.

"You seem familiar, for some reason. I know Jersey's a big place, but maybe we were like, in high school together or something, I dunno." The driver smiled back at him when he got to a red light, "You got a brother or something?" Jeremy shook his head and leaned forward just as the light turned.

"What was your name?" Jeremy asked, smiling back sheepishly even though he couldn't see. The guy did strike him as someone he knew-

"Tyler." He said, before adding on, "Goranski. Just saying Tyler probably won't help you-"

"Holy shit." The driver, now known as Tyler, eyed him questioningly. "You're Rich's brother!"

"You know little Richie?" Jeremy nodded excitedly, then went on to talk about how he and Rich used to be a bit on bad terms, and how Rich stole his Jason mask and scared Chloe shitless on Halloween in Junior year, and how when they were seniors they were practically best buds.

The rest of the car ride consisted of basically just idle chatter between the two, and how Tyler was only working these bullshit hours to get enough money to get an engagement ring for his girlfriend. When they arrived at the semi-dreaded apartment of Michael Mell, just across from his campus, Jeremy let out a deep sigh and said his thanks to Tyler, handing him his phone for him to scan and take his payment. It was pretty pricey, as expected, but Tyler assured him that he didn't need to worry, and only took half the money before driving off.

Jeremy looked up at the tall apartment building and gripped his umbrella so tight that his knuckles turned white, and he just stood in the rain staring at the entrance to the building for a good few moments before a car drove by and splashed him across the back, reminding him that maybe staying outside at these hours was a bad idea, especially when he could have sworn he saw a shady figure in the nearby ally that did not look friendly. He went inside and tried to dry himself off to the best of his ability, which wasn't much, before shuffling into the elevator. Michael's apartment was on the second floor, door 14, he had only been there once but from what he remembered it was pretty cool. As the elevator stopped on the right floor, a teenager shuffled in and blew her bubble gum as he walked out and down the hall to where he just sat through an hour long car ride for.

Was showing up unannounced like this rude? Should he have sent a text? How does he even know if Michael still lives here? All these questions flooded Jeremy's mind, and before he could stop himself he pulled out his phone and started typing.  

 

> **4:12 AM**
> 
> _jeremiah:_ yo dude
> 
> _jeremiah_ : ik its been like, three months but
> 
> _jeremiah_ : r u home and can i come over

 

The suspense waiting for a text back was almost unbearable. He was surprised his phone wasn't completely soaked. When he did answer, and within minutes none-the-less, Jeremy almost dropped his phone into the puddle he was starting to slowly form at his feet.

 

> **4:15 AM**
> 
> _player dos_ : dude you can come over, like, whenever
> 
> _player dos_ : but am i allowed to ask why at 4am?
> 
>  
> 
> _jeremiah_ : no. im coming. dw

 

Before Jeremy gave him a chance to respond, he started knocking on the door to Michaels apartment. When he didn't receive a response, he started shouting Michael's name, trying to get his attention through the wooden door. 

"Dude, what the fuck?" Jeremy spun around to see Michael standing there, in the doorway of the apartment opposite the one he was knocking at, a small smile on his face. He was wearing a star wars shirt and his PAC-man boxers, slippers on his feet and his phone in his hand. His glasses were askew, as if he was just sleeping, even though he hadn't gone to bed this early since fifth grade. "I have a few questions. One, why are you soaking wet?"

"It was raining" Jeremy lifted his broken umbrella to show Michael,

"Okay, two, why are you at my apartment so fucking late?" Michael frowned down at him.

"I, uh, needed to see you?" It sounded more like a question than anything.

"That definitely was convincing. Get in here, you're getting the hallway floor wet and your weak ass is gonna get sick if you stay in those clothes for much longer." Jeremy looked like a deer in headlights. "What, you want me to tell you to go back across the state to your dorm?"

"N-No, I just..." Without letting Jeremy finish, Michael wrapped his hand around his wrist and dragged him into his apartment, closing the door softly as to not disturb his neighbors.

"Is it about the Squip? Do you need Mountain Dew Red, I always have a few bottles around just in case, even though we barely see each other and all that." Michael went to his closet and began looking for clothes that Jeremy could wear, "Or do you have some new girl crush to fawn over, though you would have probably just called to say that, not come in person?" 

Jeremy shook his head when Michael glanced back at him and just silently watched as his best friend shifted through old hoodies and jeans, smiling widely.

"I just miss you"

Within the next few minutes, Jeremy had changed out of his soaked jeans and t-shirt and was now comfortably swamped in one of Michael's huge hoodies and a pair of sweatpants. He was sitting on Michael's couch in the tiny, cozy living room and watching the video game characters move idly as the pause screen hovered over them. Michael was getting soda for the two of them, and just as he walked back in he got a text from his roommate,

 

> **4:20**
> 
> _duck man_ : dude what's up u kinda just like. bolted outta the dorm
> 
> _duck man_ : also happy 420
> 
>  
> 
> _jeremiah_ : sorry dude. had smth important to do
> 
> _jeremiah_ : pls dont break anything
> 
>  
> 
> _duck man_ : no promises, bitch. see u later

 

"Duck man?" Michael said aloud, making Jeremy jump a good few inches off the couch and spin around to face Michael, who was smiling and giggling at the sight of Jeremy getting so terrified.

"Dude, warn me next time you're gonna jump out of nowhere like that!" Jeremy scooted over and Michael plopped himself down beside him, putting the cups on the table and grabbing a controller.

"That ruins the fun. So who's this duck man, if you don't mind me askin'?" They talked for a while longer, about who they met so far in college and what have you. Rich and Jake came up in the conversation, as did everyone from high school, and at one point Michael brought back the topic of why Jeremy came all the way to his pad."I mean, don't get me wrong, I miss you too," He fiddled with the controller, not really playing the game but not ready to give Jeremy, this beautiful boy beside him, his full attention. "but it's a bit strange for you to just show up at my apartment in the dead hours of the night?"

"I don't really know... I-I was just thinking about how, well, we waited so long for college, and now that we're here, it feels.. off?" Jeremy had his eyes fixated on the cup of Mountain Dew Red in front of him. "I like all the new classes and people and how we have more freedom and I can at least live with someone who wears pants and all but, I feel like  _we_ should've become closer, but here we are, and I know losing friends and shit is a part of growing up because people move away and all that- Like, Jenna is in California, I haven't seen her since Chloe's graduation party! And the others just came for Jake's party, but I know that was the last time I'll see them for a while."

 "Well, everyone went different ways, and it's hard to keep in touch, especially since half of our friends aren't even in the state anymore," Michael commented, dying in the game and resorting to just pausing it completely. The music of the level played softly in the background as he spoke, "It does suck. Wish we could just stay together in the same place, but you know, you've got your dream college, I got mine, Jake's becoming a teacher, Rich and Brooke are starting up their own business, and then Chloe-"

"What if I just, like, come here?!" Jeremy exclaimed, cutting Michael off. The later turned and fully faced Jeremy with wide eyes, and Jeremy suddenly remembered how fucking brown and amazing Michael's eyes were. 

Michaels phone went off, and [the same song](The%20Killers%20-%20Spaceman%20-%20YouTube) he heard only an hour or so ago played loudly, making Jeremy grin.


	2. plastic flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's pretty hard to decide whether or not to move across Jersey to live with your best friend when you're operating on a red bull and the hour nap you took after lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( if anyone can get the title of the story/ this chapter meaning what it relates to i will literally love you forever )
> 
> ahhh this is so short but i wanted to get an update out before i fREAKING DIED so here ill def make a bigger, longer, more dramatic update next time but for now im sorry jutst didnt want to take a month to mcfreaking update ;-;;;;;
> 
> fuck just read this shit

Michael panicked before grabbing his phone and exiting the room, leaving Jeremy to sit alone on the couch, twiddling his thumbs, as Michael answered the call that had interrupted them. He could faintly hear cursing, but he ignored it and reached for the Mountain Dew Red. The Squip at this point hadn't been anything more than a little... Voice, that occasionally gave its opinion on even the smallest, most non-problematic things Jeremy did. Just that morning, the Squip had been badgering him for pouring his milk in the bowl before the cereal, though that was followed by his roommate also scolding him for being so inhumane with his cereal. But other than small instances like that, Jeremy didn't mind it. Though, he still drank most of it, figuring that it was nice to do without him for the few weeks it would put him down for. As Michael kept talking over the phone, Jeremy's mind drifted back to Junior year of high school.

"It's called Optic Nerve Blocking. I've been blocking Michael from your field of vision." Jeremy blinked owlishly at the Squip before glancing at his friend.

"Jeremy? Why are you standing there all creepy and stuff?" Michael said softly, stepping closer.

"Michael is a link to Jeremy 1.0. To upgrade, you have to be willing to make sacrifices." The Squip continued to say, putting his hand on Jeremy's shoulder, as if trying to comfort him after losing a baseball game even though this was so much more.

"Seriously, what's up with you? You've been acting shady ever since..." Michael paused, smiling a bit and grabbing Jeremy's arm, tugging lightly. "It worked, didn't it? Jeremy! That's-That's amazing! We gotta test it, we gotta celebrate, we gotta- get stoned in my basement!" Jeremy turned from him, his back towards his best friend as he looked down at his shaking hands, whispering to himself,

"I already know what it's like to be the loser... I should find out what it's like to not be the loser." He paused and rose his head, turning and walking away from Michael, away from the eyes of his peers. In the back of his head, he could hear Michael call after him. As he walked through the hallway, he looked at the Squip, who was hovering in front of him. "I don't want to be special, I just want to be as chill as life will allow,

should I take the upgrade?"

Jeremy flinched as he recollected the memory of him practically flipping Michael off before going on to ditch him at the Halloween party and leave him in the bathroom to have a panic attack, and then to almost Squipping the entire world. But then he remembered practically bawling when Michael came to visit him in the hospital, a bundle of plastic flowers in his hands and a bottle of Mountain Dew Red in his hoodie pocket.

"I know you're allergic to like, a bunch of flowers, so I just got you plastic ones from sev elev, I'm sorry about, um, sending you into a coma for three days and shit, but your dad called saying you woke up so I came right away and-" Jeremy cut Michael off with a smile,

"It's alright, Michael. C'mere."

That one moment repaired weeks of issues that had shrouded a twelve-year friendship. Jeremy even got Michael a new Magic the Gathering card, a rare one that cost him more money than he'd like to admit, for his birthday a few months later. They made it though Junior and Senior year together, and before they knew it they were sitting through a graduation ceremony and heading to college in a week.

Jeremy was brought back to the present when a hand found it's way to his shoulder,

"You okay, bud? You were spacing out," It was Michael, looking down at him with a concerned face as he moved around the couch to sit beside him again. "and you weren't, like, serious about switching colleges or anything, right?"

"I mean," Jeremy ran a hand through his hair and frowned, "I'm just a freshman, it's not like I really have any ties to the place. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Do they even have the same classes at my school?" Michael glanced at the time below the t.v., it was almost five. He was tired, even if he had just had a red bull at twelve, and he really wanted to sleep, but his best friend who he hadn't seen in so long was right here in his apartment with him. Speaking of his best friend, Jeremy was jumping in and out of sleep as he looked at Michael. "I'm not worth switching universities for, bud. Also, how are you still awake?" Michael had always been able to stay up all night ever since they were kids, especially since he took naps frequently throughout the day, and without classes, it was even easier to doze off for most of the day.

"Maybe I should get some sleep," Jeremy went to stand up, "I should head home now, before my roommate-" He stopped speaking when Michael put his hand on his forearm.

"You can stay here for the night, or what's left of it. My roommate went away for the break, so we would have the apartment to ourselves for a while." Michael explained, his voice quiet. Jeremy just nodded lightly and sat back down.

Within the next few minutes, Jeremy had practically fallen asleep on Michael's lap, so the latter picked him up and carried him back to Michael's room, laying him in the large bed that actually encompassed a good majority of the room. The lights were turned off and as he cleaned his apartment up a bit, Michael couldn't help but smile a bit to himself as he thought about how nice it was to see his best friend again, even if he was a little worried about Jeremy.

And the next morning when Jeremy woke up to an asleep Michael latching onto him and the soft sound of Bob Marley playing from Michael's speaker, he was smiling too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> flashback, more like;
> 
> RiCh SeT a FiRe AnD hE bUrnEd dOwn ThE hOuSe
> 
> anyway, as i did last time, here are some little pointers as to whats going the fuck on cause i cant??? write.
> 
> \- uhhh..... the times are pretty unrealistic sorry bout that  
> \- who is michaels roomatee?? IDEK KNOW SHHH  
> \- their majors are still lowkey undecided i might just have jeremy in for photography or smth and michael for some kind of music not sure yet. ( oR MAYBE JEREMY FOR VIDEO GAME PRODUCTION IDK )  
> \- dw theyll date eventually i promise just...... shhhhhhhhhhHHhhHHH  
> \- im workin on it  
> \- THE NEXT UPDATE WILL EITHER BE HELLA ANGSTY OR HELLA FULFFY-- UNDECIDED  
> \- yeh thats really it this chapter was hella basic  
> \- hella

**Author's Note:**

> oki so. im just gonna point stuff out that might confuse ppl!!!!!!!
> 
> \- yes tyler is richs brother def i made him up but hes a cinnamon roll and may or may not actually have a good purpose later in the story  
> \- idk how jersey works but. they are like, an hour apart by car and thats with like, 4 am traffic which id imagine is either medium or nothing ( im from long island leave me alone )  
> \- jeremy's roommate likes ducks an alarmingly large amount, and though he hasnt been in his roommate's room since move-in day, he can imagine that there are a million duck plushes. his name so far is 'duck man' havent thought of a better one  
> \- when i put the time and nickname thing thats a text. its an app where u choose ur own username ( like kik? ) so jeremy is jeremiah, michael is player dos, and so on. they will prob change??  
> \- yes jake is becoming a teacher. he wants to teach kids science, more like elementary kids. though he is good in every grade/ subject, he likes sci the best  
> \- rich and brooke are not together ( jake and rich are slowly developing in the background shh ) they just wanted to start up their own flower shop, dont question them.  
> \- chloe is there with brooke, rich and jake but like jake she doesnt have time for flowers shes too busy with her major in whatever it shall be when i decide  
> \- also im thinkin film for michael's major and idk for jers. shhhhhhhhHH
> 
> i think thats enough none of yall are gonna read this much notes so yeeeeeeeeeEE PLS LEAVE FEEDBACK IT FUELS ME MORE THAN DEATH.
> 
> ( dude idk where this story is going im making it seem like theres this whole 8 chapter fic ahead honestly idk. im tryING )


End file.
